Boeing: Historical Snapshot: B-17 Flying Fortress B-17 Flying Fortress B-17 Flying Fortress Historical Snapshot On July 28, 1935, a four-engine plane took off from Boeing Field in south Seattle on its first flight. Rolling out of the Boeing hangar, it was simply known as the Model 299. Seattle Times reporter Richard Smith dubbed the new plane, with its many machine-gun mounts, the “Flying Fortress,” a name that Boeing quickly adopted and trademarked. The U.S. Army Air Corps designated the plane as the B-17. In response to the Army’s request for a large, multiengine bomber, the prototype, financed entirely by Boeing, went from design board to flight test in less than 12 months. The B-17 was a low-wing monoplane that combined aerodynamic features of the XB-15 giant bomber , still in the design stage, and the Model 247 transport .

The B-17 was the first Boeing military aircraft with a flight deck instead of an open cockpit and was armed with bombs and five .30-caliber machine guns mounted in clear “blisters.” The first B-17s saw combat in 1941, when the British Royal Air Force took delivery of several B-17s for high-altitude missions. As World War II intensified, the bombers needed additional armament and armor. The B-17E, the first mass-produced model Flying Fortress, carried nine machine guns and a 4,000-pound bomb load. It was several tons heavier than the prototypes and bristled with armament. It was the first Boeing airplane with the distinctive — and enormous — tail for improved control and stability during high-altitude bombing. Each version was more heavily armed. In the Pacific, the planes earned a deadly reputation with the Japanese, who dubbed them “four-engine fighters.” The Fortresses were also legendary for their ability to stay in the air after taking brutal poundings. Seventy-five years after the B-17’s first flight, an 88 year-old veteran sent The Boeing Company a letter.

After explaining how he returned to England after a bombing raid over Germany with 179 flak holes and only two out of the four engines, he wrote: “I’m glad to be alive. Thank you for making such a good airplane.” Gen. Carl Spaatz, the American air commander in Europe, said, “Without the B-17 we may have lost the war.” Boeing Plant 2 built a total of 6,981 B-17s in various models, and another 5,745 were built under a nationwide collaborative effort by Douglas and Lockheed (Vega). Only a few B-17s survive today, featured at museums and air shows; most were scrapped at the end of the war. Technical Specifications B-17 Flying Fortress - History and Specs of Boeing's WW2 Bomber Gen. Devers & Eaker congratulating Memphis Belle crew after 25th mission B-17H Tail #124523. Note 1942-43 USAAC simple roundel.

This airplane, "Li'l Audrey/Snooks," of the 91st Bomb Group, collided with another B-17 over the English Channel on Aug 31 1943. MACR 563. 10 KIA. Tail #238091 flying over water; Note 1943 red-border USAAF roundel on left wing. This airpane, serial #42-38091, was built by Douglas at Long Beach, California, block B-17G-30-DL. B-17s Join Group In flight over town and farmland. Note unusual white-bordered (or possibly yellow-bordered) roundel. Six engines being serviced in foreground. The L-triangle tail marking identifies the 381st Bomb Group of the Eighth Air Force. The 381st was based at Ridgewell Airfield in Essex. Loading B-17 B-17G of the 384th BG 546th Squadron, indicated by the Triangle-P tail marking and BKJ fuselage marking.

Serial #44-6882, "Boomerang." B-17 silhouetted against contrails Boeing B-17F flying over airfield. Tail #1-24639, "Careful Virgin" of the 323rd Bomb Group , 91st BG. Later used in Aphrodite mission . Launched against V-1 site at Pas-de-Calais, but impacted short of target. B-17E, Alabama Exterminator II, on ground, clouds behind. Tail #1-9022. Assigned to 97th BG, crashed in Greenland Jun 27, 1942. B-17D Specifications: - More pictures of B-17s and other bombers at Photo Gallery 2. B-17G This version fairly bristled with defensive firepower: 13 Browning .50 caliber machine guns. Chin, dorsal, ventral, and tail turrets each mounted a pair of guns (8). Left- and right- side guns in the cheeks and waist added 4 more. And a single, rear-firing gun on the top of the fuselage made 13.

No wonder Luftwaffe pilots suffered from "vier motor schreck" ("four-engine fear"). The most distinctive change was the "chin" turret, sticking out below the nose. It looks like an after-thought, and it was. But the two machine guns there addressed the B-17's earlier vulnerability. With 8,680 produced between July 1943 and April 1945, the "G" was the most numerous B-17 variant: 4,035 B-17Gs by Boeing, 2,395 by Douglas, and 2,250 by Lockheed/Vega. The vast majority of surviving B-17s are "G"s. In the Pacific Before the United States got into the war, we stationed most of our 150 B-17's (C, D, and a few E models) in the Pacific, in part hoping that their presence would serve as a deterrent to the Japanese. Thirty-five B-17s of the 19th Bombardment Group (BG) were stationed in the Philippines, 19 at Clark Field, Luzon and 16 at Del Monte, on Mindanao.

Sixteen were in the Canal Zone. Twelve, of the 5th BG, were at Hickam Field, Hawaii. And, as every student of the attack on Pearl Harbor knows, six more B-17s were approaching Hickam Field on the morning of December 7th. They touched down wherever they could. In the Japanese attack that morning, five B-17s were destroyed and eight were damaged. In the Philippines, an odd drama unfolded. The bombers at Clark Field were stationed there as a deterrent. Plans were in place for an immediate strike against Japanese bases on Formosa in the event of war. Generals MacArthur and Brereton got prompt word of the attack on Pearl Harbor. But the B-17's did not attack Formosa; they circled Luzon defensively, then returned to base. The next day, the Japanese struck Clark Field and destroyed or damaged all but one of them. A few damaged planes were repaired and joined up with the squadrons at Del Monte. These few B-17's launched some ineffectual attacks against the Japanese onslaught, including one mission in which the pilot, Colin Kelly, thought he had sunk the battleship Haruna.

He died on landing, but won great acclaim and a DSC. Postwar research indicated that he had slightly damaged a cruiser. Eventually 14 surviving B-17s from the Philippines evacuated to Batchelor Field near Darwin, Australia. From these early defeats in the Philippines and Java to the shoestring existence in Australia, maximum effort missions were lucky to involve six or ten B-17's. Crews lived in makeshift accommodations with swarms of insects, disease, poor food, and lack of spare parts. They battled furious tropical storms as much as the enemy and flew incredibly hazardous missions, often at night. B-17's were involved in the Solomons campaign and New Guinea; they were especially effective the Battle of the Bismarck Sea, using skip-bombing techniques against the Japanese transports. In another example of the "fog of war," Army B-17's participated in the Battle of Midway, and again claimed great successes against the Japanese invasion ships (the B-17's original mission back in the mid Thirties). Again, they hadn't made much of an impact. As described in Gordon Prange's Miracle at Midway the Navy's dive bombers scored all the big hits.

In Europe In a sense, the story of the B-17 in Europe IS the story of the air war over Europe. The strategic choices, the debates over daylight "precision" bombing vs. nighttime area bombing, the targeting of ball-bearing plants, oil production, & aircraft manufacturing, the staggering losses, etc. could fill volumes. Indeed the story of the air war in Europe HAS filled volumes. What follows here is very summary. The Eighth Air Force (8AF) was organized in England in early 1942. Its mission - to destroy Germany's ability to wage war, through daylight bombing raids (complementing the RAF's nighttime attacks). Massed formations of Flying Fortresses would roam over Occupied Europe, wreaking havoc on the German war machine, while relying on the bombers' speed, altitude, and own firepower for protection. Billy Mitchell, "Boom" Trenchard, and Guilio Douhet were to be proven right at last! The first B-17E arrived in Britain on July 1, 1942. Six weeks later, August 17, eighteen Flying Fortresses launched their first raid against Nazi Europe, hitting rail yards at Rouen.

Eighth Air Force head General Ira Eaker went along on this mission, flying in Yankee Doodle; the Luftwaffe didn't come up that day. Light opposition continued for the next ten missions. While many B-17's were diverted to the North African front in the Fall of 1942, the remaining 8AF Bomb Groups targeted the submarine pens along the coast. It was an ineffective campaign; the thick concrete pans were difficult to damage and the many aircrew were lost. But learning, expensive as it was in "blood and treasure' continued. In January, the Eighth adopted the "bomb on the leader" approach, where all the B-17s in a flight dropped when the lead plane's bombardier dropped. As the heavy bomber demands of the North African campaign eased in the winter of 1942-43, the air war in Northwest Europe accelerated. On January 27, 1943, for the first time, American bombers hit inside of Germany itself, the submarine facilities at Wilhelmshaven. A turning point was reached on April 17, when 115 Flying Fortresses bombed the Focke-Wulfe factory in Bremen.

As if defending its nest, the Luftwaffe struck hard, knocking down sixteen B-17's (a 15 percent loss rate - on a single mission!). Soon, ten-to-fifteen percent losses became the norm, as the Luftwaffe improved their tactics, in particular by attacking the B-17's head on. Thus the famous phrase "Bandits at twelve o'clock high!" But the Eighth continued grimly on, throughout 1943, next targeting ball-bearing production, considered a vital weak point in aviation manufacturing. On the 17th of August, a large force of 376 bombers raided Schweinfurt and Regensburg. Sixty bombers, with six hundred aircrew, didn't come back. 16 percent losses. At that rate, the Eighth Air Force could not continue. When B-17G's began to arrive in August and September, the forward machine guns in their chin turrets helped a little. The appalling wastage continued: September 6 - Over 400 bombers attacked the Stuttgart ball-bearing plant; 45 were lost. October 14 - Schweinfurt again. 291 B-17's went out; 60 went down.

January 11, 1944 - German aircraft industry targets. 600 Flying Fortresses were sent out. Because of bad weather, only 238 reached Germany; 60 were shot down. German industrial capacity proved remarkably resilient. Armaments Minister Albert Speer mobilized German (and captive) labor and decentralized critical production. In his Inside the Third Reich: Memoirs , Speer told of his efforts "After the second heavy raid on Schweinfurt on October 14, 1943, we again decided to decentralize. Some of the facilities were to be distributed among the surrounding villages, others placed in small, as yet unendangered towns in eastern Germany. This policy of dispersal was meant to provide for the future; but the plan encountered ... resistance on all side. The Gauleiters did not want new factories in their districts for fear that the peacetime quiet of their small towns would be disturbed." In late 1943, P-38 's and P-47 's began to provide the long range escort that the 'Forts' needed.

But the ultimate answer, the P-51 Mustang , which could reach Berlin, only appeared in March, 1944. Big Week In February, 1944, and especially in the third week, later dubbed "Big Week," the Eighth Air Force launched massive raids against German aircraft manufacturing in Leipzig, Augsburg, Regensburg, Schweinfurt, Stuttgart, etc.. Starting on the 20th, VIII Bomber Command launched over 1,000 Flying Fortresses in an attempt to destroy the Luftwaffe. American losses were heavy - 244 bombers and 33 fighters, but the Luftwaffe's strength never recovered. Its losses in the air were almost as damaging as the destruction of the factories. The following month, March 1944, Mustangs escorted the B-17s all the way to Berlin. As Goering later said, when he saw Mustangs over Berlin, "he knew the jig was up." Because from that date, the bombers could range all over Germany, not immune from losses, but with fighter escort to keep Allied losses down and to continue to erode Luftwaffe strength.

(While tangential to the B-17 story, Germany's inadequate pilot training and its short-sighted non-rotation of pilots made it impossible for the Luftwaffe to make good its losses, while competently trained American aircrew filled, replaced, and expanded the 8AF roster.) In retrospect it seems that the Allies shifted the focus of their bombing too often. First submarines, then ball-bearings, the aircraft builders, then (in May, 1944) oil. Both Galland and Speer, in their memoirs, suggested that continued concentration on one of these industrial jugular veins might have yielded better results. Perhaps by May of 1944, the Allied analysts thought that enough damage had been done to the aircraft industry. They turned their attention to oil production, oil refineries, and synthetic oil plants. 457th Bomb Group The 1944 experience of this typical group shows how relentless the USAAF bombing campaign was and how much the situation had changed since 1943 (when ten percent losses were the norm).

The 457th BG arrived in ETO in February and for its first mission, participated in a "Big Week" raids on Gutersloh/Lippstadt, Oschersleben, Schweinfurt, and Augsburg. In four February missions, the 457th sent out 36, 18, 18, and 25 bombers, losing 4. In March, they flew 18 missions of 18+ planes each, hitting Berlin five times, and losing only 4 planes - about a one percent loss rate! Fifteen somewhat larger raids in April, typically with 24 planes, hit airfields and rail marshalling yards; the shift toward these tactical targets in anticipation of D-Day. Five B-17's of the Group didn't make it, for losses of 1.5 percent. In May - 19 raids of similar size, suffering two percent losses. With D-Day in June, the 457th flew 23 missions, mostly against tactical targets, airfields, and marshalling in northern France. These missions included 800 sorties, with only nine planes lost.

In the last five months of 1944, the 457th ran 87 missions, about 2700 sorties (540 per month), and lost 66 planes (13 per month), for a monthly loss ratio of 2.5 percent. Higher than earlier in the year, but far below the unbearable experience of 1943. You can read more details about the 457th at the excellent 457th Bomb Group website. Right up until May, 1945, the B-17 Flying Fortresses continued to batter the Third Reich. More than any other airplane, the big Boeing bombers brought the war to the Germans. Experimental B-17's As with most widely produced planes, the B-17 spawned a number of interesting variations. The YB-40, armed with additional machine guns and ammunition, was conceived as an escort fighter. But it was so heavy and so slow, that it couldn't keep up with the bombers. The B-17H was a post-war conversion of 12 (?) B-17G's into air-sea rescue planes, fitted with air-droppable life-rafts.

Some of these (redesignated SB-17G) served in Korea and flew until the mid 1950's in the air-sea rescue role. Rather less successful was the BQ-7, a conversion of some war-weary Forts into flying bombs. The planes were provided with radio-directed flight controls, packed with 10 tens of Torpex, and stripped of everything else. The pilot got the plane off the ground, headed toward the target, and he bailed out. On several attempts the BQ-7s either went out of control, exploding on English soil or the North Sea, or were hit by flak, or missed their targets. Famous Planes Memphis Belle In mid-1943, the bomber crews of the Eighth Air Force were getting shot down at a very rapid rate. Morale reflected this. The promise of rotation home after twenty-five missions seemed too far away and too unlikely. "Who's gonna make twenty-five missions? We'll get shot down first." A Flying Fortress of the 91st Bomb Group had racked up a lot of missions since its first on November 9, 1942.

The pilot, Colonel Robert Morgan wrote of first mission jitters in his memoirs The Man Who Flew the Memphis Belle : B-17 History | Liberty Foundation B-17 Madras Maiden Flying Fortress Boeing B-17 History The Boeing B-17 is by far the most famous bomber of World War II. In 1934 the Boeing Aircraft Company of Seattle Washington began construction of a four engine heavy bomber. Known as the Model -299, first flight was achieved on July 28th 1935. As a result, the U.S. Government placed an order for production of 13 of these aircraft and began to take delivery of the 13 production aircraft between January 11th and August 4th 1937. The B-17, dubbed the "Flying Fortress" as a result of her amount of defensive firepower, underwent a number of improvements over its ten-year production run. B-17 Models ranged from the YB-17 to the B-17G model. Throughout the war the B-17 was refined and improved as the combat experience showed the Boeing designers where improvements could be made.

The Final B-17 production model, the B-17G was produced in the largest quantities (8,680) than any other previous model and is considered the definitive "Flying Fortress". With its 13 .50-caliber machine guns, Chin, top, ball and tail turrets; waist and cheek guns the B-17 was indeed an airplane that earned the respect of its combatants. In addition, the flight crews loved the B-17 for her ability to take and withstand heavy combat damage and return safely home. During WWII, the B-17 saw service in every theater of operation, but was operated primarily by the 8th Air force in Europe and participated in countless missions from bases in England. A typical B-17 Mission often lasted for more than eight hours and struck targets deep within enemy territory. During the war, B-17's dropped 640,036 tons of bombs on European targets in daylight raids. This compares to the 452,508 tons dropped by the B-24 and 464,544 tons dropped by all other U.S. aircraft.

The B-17 also downed 23 enemy aircraft per 1,000 raids as compared with 11 by B-24's and 11 by fighters and three by all U.S. medium and light bombers. There were a total of 12,732 B-17's that were produced between 1935 and May 1945. Of these 4,735 were lost in combat. Following WWII, the B-17 saw service in three more wars. B-17's were used in Korea, Israel used them in the war of 1948 and they were even used during Vietnam. Today, fewer than 100 B-17 airframes exist and fewer still are in airworthy condition. At one time, more than 1000 B-17's could be assembled for mass combat missions, now fewer than 15 of Boeing's famous bombers can still take to the sky. History of the 381st Bomb group In November of 1942 the 381st Bomb Group (H) had its inception into the 8th Air Force.

Trained with B-17s before moving to England, May-June of 1942. Entered and served in combat from June 1943 to April 1945, bombing such targets as the aircraft assembly plant at Villacoublay, an airdrome at Amiens, locks at St Nazaire, an aircraft engine factory at Le Mans, nitrate works in Norway, aircraft plants in Brussels, industrial areas of Munster, U-boat yards at Kiel, marshalling yards at Offenberg, aircraft factories at Kassel, aircraft assembly plants at Leipzig, oil refineries at Gelsenkirchen, and ball-bearing works at Shweinfurt. Received a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for performance on 8 Oct 1943 when shipyards at Bremen were bombed accurately in spite of persistent enemy fighter attacks and heavy flak. Received second DUC for similar action on 11 Jan 1944 during a mission against aircraft factories in central Germany. Participated in the intensive campaign of heavy bombers against enemy aircraft factories during Big Week, 20-25 Feb 1944.

Often supported ground troops and attacked targets of interdiction when not engaged in strategic bombardment. Supported the Normandy invasion in Jun 1944 by bombing bridges and airfields near the beachhead. Attacked enemy positions in advance of ground forces at St Lo in Jul 1944. Assisted the airborne assault on Holland in Sep. Struck airfields and communications near the battle zone during the Battle of the Bulge, Dec 1944-Jan 1945. Supported the Allied crossing of the Rhine in Mar 1945 and then operated against communications and transportation in the final push through Germany. Returned to the US, Jun-Jul 1945. Inactivated on 28 Aug 1945. The 381st flew its final mission on April 21, 1945 and completed 297 operational missions, dropping over 22,000 tons of bombs. 131 of its aircraft were lost; The Group's accomplishments show a total of 223 enemy aircraft destroyed and hundreds more damaged. More information can be found at the official 381st BG Memorial Association website at .

History of the B-17 Madras Maiden B-17G 44-8543 was built by Lockheed-Vega and accepted by the USAAF in Burbank on October 17, 1944. The B-17 was assigned to the Flight Test Branch at Wright Field and modified to be a "Pathfinder" aircraft and equipped with the H2X "Mickey" radar system in place of the ball turret. From 1944-1959 The aircraft spent its entire military career as a research and development aircraft. From the B-17's that were converted to become "Pathfinder" aircraft, N3701G is the only one left in existence. Military History Timeline: Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress - Heavy Bomber Aircraft - History, Specs and Pictures - Military Aircraft, Helicopters and Drones View All Images (30) Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Heavy Bomber Aircraft (1937) The legendary Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress accounted for over 290,000 sorties with 640,000 tons of ordnance dropped during World War 2.

Staff Writer (Updated: 4/25/2016): Though the Consolidated B-24 Liberator was built in greater numbers, the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is often regarded as the more important heavy bomber for the American Allies in the Second World War, accounting for over 290,000 sorties against ground installations and dropping over 640,000 tons of bombs. By war's end, the B-17 Flying Fortress was a mainstay in both the Pacific and European Theaters of War. The system became the symbol of American bomber might in the Second World War and continues with its legendary status even today. Incidentally, the name "Flying Fortress" is purported to have come from one of the reporters present during the unveiling of the machine at the Boeing plant, remarking as to how the aircraft looked like a 15-ton "flying fortress". Designed to a US requirement for a four-engine bomber capable of long distance travel with a full 2,000lb bombload and reach speeds between 200 and 250 miles per hour.

The result was the Boeing Model 229 which first flew in 1934, though was later lost to pilot error. Nevertheless, the US Army Air Corps pursued the design with an order for further developmental models fitted with differing powerplants. Early B-17 models were mostly developmental production variants that included the additions of seal-sealing fuel tanks, better armor protection and a redesigned tail. The initial definitive Flying Fortress model would arrive with 512 examples of the B-17E model which were the first to incorporated the twin .50 caliber tail armament for defense. This model was followed by the similar B-17F models of which 3,405 were produced. This latter model featured revised defensive armament positions. Often regarded as the ultimate B-17 production model, the B-17G featured the identifiable and effective Bendix powered chin turret fitted with 2 x 12.7mm machine guns under the nose. Revised turbochargers and an increase to 13 .50 caliber machine guns also arrived with this G model.

In the end, the B-17G would account for over 8,600 units with production split between Boeing (4,035 samples), Douglas (2,395 samples) and Lockheed Vega (2,250 samples). B-17 Flying Fortresses followed common practice in that they flew in what was known as the "box formation". This formation allowed every gunner on board the aircraft to bring their guns to bear to any position needed. Gunner positions on the B-17 included a top turret gunner manning 2 x 12.7mm machine guns, a tail gunner manning 2 x 12.7mm machine guns, a belly gunner manning 2 x 12.7mm machine guns, 2 x cheek gun emplacements, staggered waist gunner positions each manning a single 12.7mm machine gun and the Bendix chin turret. A limited-arc-of-fire, single 12.7mm machine gun position at the radio operators area was available in early models but later removed. The flight engineer doubled as the top turret gunner while the bombardier and navigator in the nose section doubled as front gunners.

The belly turret gunner was generally of a small stature to be able to fit into the limited-space turret system. All positions were afforded some type of built-in armor protection but this varied extensively by position. The bombardier and navigator were awarded the best views of the sky through the large plexiglas nose. The bombardier sat on a type of swiveling stool with the fabled Norden Bombsight before him. The navigator sat off-set to his rear at a small map-filled desk. Both were supplied with defensive .50 caliber machine guns with the Bendix chin turret under the bombardiers control in the G model and onwards. Access to the nose was accomplished through a smallish passage way underneath the main flight deck. Vintage B-17 Flying Fortress crashes with seven people aboard | Daily Mail Online comments A vintage B-17 bomber built during the Second World War burst into flames yesterday morning in a cornfield outside Chicago. The vintage plane, which carries passengers for around $400 a seat, took off from Aurora Municipal Airport and made an emergency landing about 20 minutes later in Oswego. According to FAA officials all seven people on board the plane escaped uninjured, spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham Cory said.

Mrs Cory said: 'The plane is burning.' Scroll down for video A Second World War-era B-17 bomber became engulfed in flames after making what appeared to be an emergency landing in a cornfield yesterday in Oswego, Illinois Escape: Seven passengers aboard the Liberty Belle had a lucky escape after the plane ditched in a cornfield shortly after take-off The vintage plane had taken off from nearby Aurora Municipal Airport before coming down in the field THE 'FLYING FORTRESS' The Boeing B-17 was a heavy bomber developed in the U.S. in the 1930s. It was mainly used during the Second World War in precision daylight bombing campaigns against military and industrial targets. In early 1940 the RAF entered into an agreement with the U.S. to be provided with 20 B-17Cs, which were given the service name Fortress I. But their initial missions over Germany were unsuccessful. But they were widely used by American forces in the Pacific and in a succession of raids targeting German factories. In February 1944, the B17s flew a vital mission to destroy the factories that kept the Luftwaffe flying, in what was termed ‘Big Week’.

In all, 3,500 B17s were involved in bombing raids on factories in Germany. 244 planes were lost in just a week but the back of the factories producing for the Luftwaffe were fatally broken. One of the most most famous B-17s is the Memphis Belle, which was immortalised in a Hollywood movie of the same name. The pilot reported a fire shortly after taking off, said Sugar Grove Fire Chief Marty Kunkle. Mr Kunkle said: 'He attempted to make a return to the airport, but couldn't make it so he put it down in a cornfield.' Firefighters from Oswego, Sugar Grove and Plainfield responded to the crash. Fire officials said they were having difficulty accessing the crash because of wet fields. Speaking to the Chicago Tribune, Jim Barry - who was at his home when he heard a plane - said: 'The windows were rattling. I said, 'That's a crop duster.' He said he looked out and saw an engine on the left wing on fire.

He added: 'Not a lot of flames, just more smoke than flames.' RELATED ARTICLES Share this article Share The paper also spoke to a 92-year-old WW2 veteran who had narrowly avoided the crash after he turned down a ride on the plane. Ira Weinstein was due to fly with his grandson last Friday, but the trip was delayed after the plane developed a minor oil leak. The trip was rescheduled for today, but luckily the veteran decided the long drive was not worth it and took lunch with his grandson instead. He said: 'I was lucky this morning. 'When I looked at the plane, the way it was [torn apart], if there were maybe two more people in there, maybe we wouldn’t have gotten out. I’m glad I wasn’t there.' The aircraft was built in 1944 and flew 64 combat missions and is known as the 'Flying Fortress.' The Liberty Belle saw active duty in the war and was one of only a handful of bombers to survive an attack on Dusseldorf, Germany in September 1944. It is registered to the Liberty Foundation in Miami, and was part of Liberty Foundation’s 2011 Salute to Veterans.

The plane was one of around 11 B-17's still flying and regularly appeared at fly pasts and other ceremonial events. The seven people on board escaped without injury when the plane crashed about about 20 minutes after take-off Fire crews did their best to put out the flames but the mid-section of the plane was totally burned Happier times: The B-17, known as a 'Flying Fortress,' is seen here a week before the crash The Lberty Belle in close formation with a P-51 Mustang fighter at a previous airshow Skydivers jump off ‘Flying Fortress’ WW2 bomber – help raise money for a charity Skydivers jump off ‘Flying Fortress’ WW2 bomber – help raise money for a charity SHARE: Facebook Twitter A group of ten skydivers had the experience of their lifetime when they were given an opportunity to jump from the bomb bay doors of a WW2 bomber. Skydivers from the Chicagoland Skydiving Center took part in this amazing event to raise money for the Collings Foundation. The Collings Foundation is a non-profit organization that operates these bombers. They were dropped from a famous bomber of WW2, the B-17, also known as the Flying Fortress.

The skydivers paid $500 each to the charity and enjoyed this unique event. The video of the skydivers jumping from the bomb doors of the plane is available for public viewing. A number of GoPro high definition cameras were used to film the skydivers jumping off the plane. The skydivers boarded the Flying Fortress bomber aircraft from an airport in Rockford, Illinois. Boeing developed these bombers in the 1930s for the US Army. The prototype of the Flying Fortress was designed and built by Boeing without any external funding. A team of engineers led by Edward Curtis Wells and E. Gifford Emery worked day and night in order to make this bomber work. It made its maiden flight on 28th July 1935, when chief test pilot Leslie Tower flew the bomber successfully without any mishap or complications. B-17 bombers took part in a number of combats throughout WW2. The aircraft also served the RAF in various non-bomber roles. It was dubbed ‘Flying Fortress’ because the prototype Model 299 had multiple machine gun chambers, so it resembled a fortress. In the video that shows the jump, we can see the inside of the bomber.

The large gun chambers can be seen along with the controls for the pilots. The video shows the plane’s massive propellers starting to spin as the pilot turns on the switch. Closed bomb bay doors are also shown in the sequence, the Mail Online reports. After a while, the plane is at 5000ft and cruising swiftly through the air. Through a camera mounted at the bottom of the bomber, the doors can be seen opening downwards. From the inside of the plane we can see northern Illinois coming into the view, while some of the skydivers are standing on the iron railing above the wide open bomb bay doors. After a few seconds, the skydivers start jumping one by one out of the plane, while their GoPro head-mounted cameras film their epic falls. The camera fixed on the belly of the plane films the skydivers rapidly jumping out of the plane. In an amazing ending shot, we see a skydiver jumping off the plane while his camera films the plane going further away from him as he falls towards the ground. The Chief Operations Officer of the Chicagoland Skydiving Center, who was also amongst the skydivers, expressed his gratitude for this event.

He said that he has been jumping off planes for more than 3 decades and a pilot for more than 20 years, but his experience with the B-17 was one of a kind. FEATURED VIDEO Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress - Heavy Bomber Aircraft - Specifications, History and Images Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Heavy Bomber Aircraft (1937) Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Heavy Bomber Aircraft (1937) Continuation of the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Heavy Bomber Aircraft development period and operational history. The pilot and co-pilot sat on the flight deck above and behind the navigator's position with the pilot to the left and his copilot to the right with both offered equal control access and views of all four of the engines. To their rear was the top gunners position with a catwalk crossing between the payload in the bomb bay. Once past the bomb bay, the radio operators station and his equipment was apparent. The radio operator was also afforded a table and seating along with his communications equipment.

Access to the belly turret was available following this area, which further opened up to the staggered waist gunner positions which might or might not have been covered by plexiglass depending on the model. Though not added until the production E models, the tail gunner arguably served the single most important deterrent to enemy aircraft as enemy pilots tended to attack formations from the rear, starting with the last aircraft in the line known to American crews as "Tail End Charlie". Like the belly turret gunner, the tail turret operator made his way to his rearward position after the aircraft was in flight and connected to his oxygen supply and intercom system. He held a kneeling position (sitting on his legs) and manned a limited arc-of-fire twin machine gun system that was improved with the "Cheyenne" turret in G models. This new turret offered up a greater field of fire and improved gun sighting. Overall, the B-17 Flying Fortress was a utilitarian vehicle that was - for the most part - cramped, gusty and produced the various smells inherent in a machine of this type, from burning rubber to spent shell casings.

The Fortress was a noisy place to "work" yet crew after crew found a home in the aircraft that were to become their livelihoods through the duration of the war. The aircraft served a purpose and her crews made the most of it with what was provided to them. RAF forces took several B-17 models with their applied "Fortress 1", "Fortress 2" and "Fortress 3" designations, utilizing some in the electronic countermeasures role. Reconnaissance variants appeared with the US Army Air Corps, US Navy and US Coast Guard as well, each with differing designations shown below. In any case, its heavy use showcased the versatility of the airframe and the importance of the aircraft to the Allied air cause. The B-17 is often remembered for the myriad of colorful names and nose art identifiers that included the famous "Memphis Belle", which became one of the first B-17's to complete a full tour of duty before being sent back to the States with her crew for war bond drives. The aircraft became a favorite of aircrews for her ability to withstand a tremendous amount of damage and keep flying.

In a bit of B-17 trivia, the massive flight formations of Imperial Navy Japanese fighters and torpedo planes discovered for the attack at Pearl Harbor on December 7th were mistaken as an incoming flight of scheduled B-17 Flying Fortresses from the mainland. As quickly as the B-17 arrived it was gone in the after-war years. Some survived as developmental or specialized role models but many were scrapped by the arrival of the jet age. Some survived for museum use while others were refurbished and continue to fly today with dedicated aviators and traveling flight troupes. In any case, the system will long outlive her users and forever be carried on through history through astonishing tales of heroism, feats and ultimately success over the Third Reich and Imperial Japan. ©

Question: Which company manufactured the WW2 plane, the B17, known as the Flying Fortress?
Answer: Boeing